Toothpaste dispenser for dispensing paste from a collapsible tube

ABSTRACT

A toothpaste dispenser for dispensing paste from a collapsible tube arranged in a housing provided with a pair of opposed slots has a tube winding spindle arranged in the housing with end portions of the spindle extending out of the housing through the slots provided in the housing. Cogs are provided on the outside of the housing adjacent the slots, and mating cogs on spools provided on the projecting ends of the spindle. Spring bias the spools toward the housing for causing the cogs to mesh and form a ratchet gear mechanism that translates rotary motion imparted to the spindle into a linear motion in a predetermined direction along the slots in the housing.

O Umted States Patent 1 [111 3,917,118

g n 1 Nov. 4, 1975 TOOTHPASTE DISPENSER FOR Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles DISPENSING PASTE FROM A Assistant ExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr. COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Attorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A. OBrien; [76] Inventor: Royce G. Odgen, No. 28 Spring Harvey Jacobson Oaks Road, Burleson, Tex. 76028 [57] ABS CT 22 1 Flled July 1974 A toothpaste dispenser for dispensing paste from a pp 483,412 collapsible tube arranged in a housing provided with a pair of opposedslots has a tube winding spindle arranged in the housing with end portions of the spindle 8L extending out o the housing through the Slots p [58] Field 99 100 vided in the housing. Cogs are provided on the outside of the housing adjacent the slots, and mating cogs on [56] References Cited spools provided on the projecting ends of the spindle. Spring bias the spools toward the housing for causing UNITED STATES PATENTS the cogs to mesh and form a ratchet gear mechanism 1,556,437 10/1925 Granger 222/101 that translates rotary motion imparted to the spindle g; g l 3 2 into a linear motion in a predetermined direction ross ey 2,664,225 12/1953 Chokge 222/100 along the Slots m housmg' SClaims, 4 Drawing Figures TOOTI-IPASTE DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING PASTE'FROM A COLLAPSIBLE TUBE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relatesgenerally to a roll-down toothpaste dispenser, and particularly to a wall-mountable dispenser that instantly puts a desired amount of toothpaste, and the like, at ones fingertips from a conventional toothpaste tube. l

2. Description of the Prior Art.

Devices are generally known for dispensing toothpaste from a conventional collapsible toothpaste tube. See, for exa'mple, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,670,875, issued Mar. 2, l 954 t o R. Perlrnutter,2,717,103, issued Sept. 6, 1955 to G M'. Hill, 2,718,984, issued Sept. 27, 1955 to W. A. Nesser, and 2,742,189, issued Apr. 17, 1956 to R. L. Morrison. I H I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved roll-down toothpaste dispenser fordispensing toothpaste, and the like, from a conventional toothpaste tube. I I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toothpaste dispenser having a simple, yet rugged and reliable ratchet gear actuating mechanism.

Itis still another object of the present invention to provide a toothpaste dispenser into which a conventional tube of toothpaste is easily insertable.

These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing a toothpaste dispenser having: a tube receiving housing provided with at least one slot; a tube winding spindle arranged in the housing and having a portion thereof extending out of the housing through the slot; and a gear mechanism arranged'outside the housing for translating rotary motion imparted to the spindle into linear motion in a pre determined direction along the slot. Advantageously, the housing is provided with a pair of opposed slots, and longitudinally spaced ends of the spindle extend out of the housing through the slots. In this instance, similar gear mechanisms will be provided at either end of the spindle. 1

A preferred gear mechanism according to the present invention includes: cogs disposed on an outer surface of the housing along opposite edgespartially defining the slot or slots; a spool for each slot provided, the spool mounted on the winding spindle and provided with teeth arranged on a face of the spool and arranged for engaging'the cogs and forming a ratchet gear mechanism therewith; and a spring associated with each spool for biasing the spool toward the housing and causing the teeth of the spool to engage with the cogs.

The neck of a conventional toothpaste tube is insertable into a hole passing through a projection provided in an end surface of the housing. This projection is advantageously provided with a head over which a cap is rotatably mounted. By arranging the hole in the projection in offset relationship with respect to the axis of rotation of the cap, and by further providing an aperture in the cap which is also offset with respect to the axis of rotation of the cap, a simple, yet effective, valve is provided for selectively blocking emission of toothpaste from the dispenser. In this manner, a hygienic device is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a dispenser according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken generally along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

' FIG. 4 is a-fragmentary, bottom end view looking in the direction ,of'the line 44-;in FIG. 2.

. DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now-more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, a dispenser 10 according to the present invention for-dispensing toothpaste, and the like, from a collapsible tube '12, such as "are conventional and commonly used'in the marketing of toothpaste, has a tube receiving housing 14 provided with a pair of oppose'd slots 16 and 18. 'As'can be readily appreciated from the drawings, slots 16, 18 extend longitudinally down opposed sides of housing 14. A tube winding spindle 20 is arranged in housing 14, and has end portions thereof extending out of housing 14 through slots 16, 18. A gear arrangement 22 to be described in detail below is arranged outside housing 14 adjacent each end portion of the spindle 20 for translating rotary motion imparted to spindle 20'into a'linear motion in a predetermined direction along the slots 16, 18. As illustrated, this linear motion will be downwardly along the slots Gear arrangement 22 includes a plurality of cogs 24 in the forin of wedge-shaped teeth slanted in the normal upward direction of orientation of housing '14. These cogs 24 are provided on walls 26 and 28 in which slots 16, 18 are provided. Each arrangement 22 has a spool 30, 32 mounted on an associated end portion of spindle 20 and provided with teeth 34 arranged on a face of the respective spool 30, 32 for engaging associ-. ated cogs 24 and forming a ratchet gear mechanism therewith. Spring arrangements 36 are provided for biasing the spools 3'0, 32 toward housing 14 so as to cause teeth 34 to engage with cogs 24.

Spools 30, 32 are retained on spindle 20 by the provision on spindle 20 of a head 38, preferably knurled, and the like, for facilitating turning of spindle 20, and a cap nut 40 which threadedly engages with the end of spindle 20 spaced from that end wherein head 38 is disposed. A longitudinally extending slot 41 provided in spindle 20 receives the winding end of tube 12 for causing the tube to be wound as spindle 20 is moved downwardly along slots 16, 18. As can be appreciated from the drawings, spindle 20 may be formed by a pair of spaced, parallel rods, and the like, which define slot 41.

Spring arrangements 36 each includes a, for example, conventional coiled compression spring 42 arranged in hollow spool 30, 32 for partially abutting the apertured wall of the associated spool and one flange of a bushing 44 arranged extending into spool 30, 32 and provided with a pair of flanges 46 and 48. One flange, flange 46 as illustrated, extends into housing 14 and bridges an associated one of the slots 16, 18, while the bushing 44 itself extends through the associated slot 16, 18 and into the associated spool 30, 32. The other of the flanges, flange 48 as illustrated, forms one abutting surface for spring 42 in order to bias spool 30, 32 toward housing 14. In this manner, bushing 44 functions both as a bearing and as part of spring arrangement 36.

A rear wall 49 of housing 14 is selectively arranged contacting a housing wall 50, and the like, and mounted to wall 50 as by, for example, conventional screws 52. Upper end 53 of housing 14 is selectively removable for facilitating access to the interior of the housing.

A projection 54 having a head 56 is provided on the lower end wall 58 of housing 14. This wall 58, as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, is oriented perpendicularly to and arranged extending between walls 26 and 28. A hole 60 is provided which passes through projection 54 in offset relationship with respect to head 56 thereof for receiving an outlet neck 62 of tube 12. A cap 64 is provided with an eccentric aperture 66 (FIG. 4), and is rotatably arranged on head 56 of projection 54 for permitting aperture 66 to be selectively rotated into alignment with hole 60. In this manner, a reliable yet simple and efficient valve is formed. As can be appreciated from FIG. 4, wall 58 is constructed in a manner similar to end wall 53 so that same will be selectively removable from housing 14 for facilitating access'to the interior of the housing.

As can perhaps best be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawings, the embracing of spools 30, 32 by head 38 and nut 40, it being appreciated that apertures are provided in spools 30, 32 that permit spindle 20 to pass through same, causes spools 30, 32 to rotate whenever spindle 20 is rotated. in this manner, the teeth 34 provided on spools 30, 32 will engage with cogs 24 and draw spindle 20 downwardly along slots 16, 18 in ratchet-like fashion. Springs 42 will cause teeth 34 to be resiliently biased against cogs 24 so that the teeth will pass over the cogs in one direction only. Further, the springs assure that spindle 20 will be retained in any desired position with respect to slots 16, 18. i

It may be desirable to provide the outermost end surfaces of. spools 30,32 and the adjacent, abutting surfaces of head 38 and nut 40 with friction-increasing material in order to assure that spools 30, 32 will rotate with spindle 20.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and de-, scribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and 1 equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. v

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1.A toothpaste dispenser for dispensing paste from I a collapsible tube, comprising, in combination:

a. a tube receiving housing provided with a slot;

b. a tube winding spindle arranged in the housing and having a portion extending out of thehousing through the slot;

0. gear means arranged outside the housing for translating rotary motion imparted to the spindle into linear motion in a predetermined direction along.

the slot, the gear means including;

i. cogs disposed on an outer surface of the housing along opposite edges partially defining the slot; ii. a spool mounted on the winding spindle and provided with teeth arranged on a face of the spool for engaging the cogs and forming a ratchet gear housing is provided with a pair of opposed slots and the winding spool extends out of the housing through both slots, spools, cogs, teeth, and spring means being associated'with both slots.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein a projection having a head is provided on an end wall of the housingoriented perpendicularly to and extending between the walls provided with the slots, a hole arranged passing through the projection in offset relation to the heads thereof for receiving an outletneck of a collapsible tube from which a paste is to be dispensed, and a cap provided with an eccentric aperture, the cap rotat-. ably arranged on the head of the projection for permit-.

ting the aperture to be selectively rotated into alignment with the hole.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CETIFICATE 0F CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,917,118

DATED November 4, 1975 INVENTOR(S) Royce G. Ogden It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading, change "Odgen" to Ogden Signed and Scaled this twenty-fifth Day of May 1976 [SEAL] A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner nflarenrs and Trademarks 

1. A toothpaste dispenser for dispensing paste from a collapsible tube, comprising, in combination: a. a tube receiving housing provided with a slot; b. a tube winding spindle arranged in the housing and having a portion extending out of the housing through the slot; c. gear means arranged outside the housing for translating rotary motion imparted to the spindle into linear motion in a predetermined direction along the slot, the gear means including; i. cogs disposed on an outer surface of the housing along opposite edges partially defining the slot; ii. a spool mounted on the winding spindle and provided with teeth arranged on a face of the spool for engaging the cogs and forming a ratchet gear mechanism therewith; and iii. spring means for resiliently biasing the spool toward the housing; and d. the spool being hollow, and the spring means including a coiled spring disposed within the spool and a bushing having a pair of flanges, one of the flanges being disposed within the housing and the other of the flanges disposed in the spool, with the spring arranged abutting the other of the flanges and a wall of the spool.
 2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a pair of opposed slots and the winding spool extends out of the housing through both slots, spools, cogs, teeth, and spring means being associated with Both slots.
 3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein a projection having a head is provided on an end wall of the housing oriented perpendicularly to and extending between the walls provided with the slots, a hole arranged passing through the projection in offset relation to the heads thereof for receiving an outlet neck of a collapsible tube from which a paste is to be dispensed, and a cap provided with an eccentric aperture, the cap rotatably arranged on the head of the projection for permitting the aperture to be selectively rotated into alignment with the hole. 